User blog:AdmiralPedro1stFleet/Rough Draft Idea For My Crazy Ending Inspired by Drew Karpyshyns Dark Energy Idea
Epilogue DLC *Regardless of whether or not Shepard chose Synthesis, Destroy, or Control is irrelevant. Shepard will awaken on Earth. Upon waking up, Shepard will find Anderson also catching his breath.If Shepard chose Synthesis or Control he/she will see the Catalyst one last time before it disappears. Shepard runs over to Anderson to help him up and as he/she does, Harbinger simply says "Shepard.Why do you resist us?" Shepard and Anderson turn to see Harbinger and Shepard yells back asking what the hell that vision was and if everything the Catalyst said to him about the reapers was true. Harbinger deflects Shepard's question by replying "Our goals are far beyond your comprehension? You can not begin to grasp the nature of our being. We are your salvation through destruction. By opposing us, all organic life is doomed. We must impose order on the chaos that has been created." When Shepard asks what it means, Harbinger replies "You can not hope to comprehend order or its purpose. You think synthetics are a threat. They are but an annoyance. They are irrelevant." At this point, Shepard can point out that the Catalyst said that the Reapers harvest organic life so that they do not reach a point where they can create deadly and rebellious synthetics. Depending on previous choices, Anderson will either say that the geth are wiped out and since that's the case, no need for Reapers or if Shepard spared the geth, Anderson will point out that they are cooperating with organics and mention the quarian/geth peace if peace was reached. Harbinger will reply "Neither of you understand our purpose here" If Shepard chose synthesis or control, Harbinger will go on to say "Your weak and fragile mind shows how easily misled you are." If Shepard chose destroy, Harbinger will say "Your mind may be strong but you have no hope of understanding or destroying my kind" Followed by "Your species will be harvested,preserve order, and achieve our goal, willingly or unwillingly. We are your only hope." Shepard can either reply as a paragon by saying that galactic civilization and the fact it's united is proof that we do not need intervention to preserve order or Shepard can reply as renegade by saying the combined forces of the galaxy will destroy Harbinger and its reaper fleet and send them back to whatever hellhole they came from. At this point, Anderson will receive a message from Major Coats saying that reinforcements are inbound. At this point, the player will see a bunch of makos,hammerheads, troop transports, and tomkahs(if krogan support was obtained) while shuttles,gunships,alliance fighters, and geth dropships and fighters(if geth support was obtained) led by the Normandy fly in from up top unloading different races depending on what war assets you have. In response, Harbinger releases a crapload of Reaper ground forces , Harvesters, and Oculuses to fight on the ground and in the air respectively. Leading the ground forces on Shep's side are all former squadmates that survived up to this point in addition to your ME3 squad and a few other notable characters such as Aria, Wrex/Wreav, Victus, and Kirrahe. Hackett radios Shepard saying "Harbinger is distracted. This is your chance. You and Anderson get in there and open those arms. NOW!" Shepard replies yes sir and they hit the beam as the cutscene fades out from Harbinger fighting the forces. *Shepard and Anderson end up in the Refugee camp and Shepard immediately recognizes it. Anderson Asks if Shepard has any idea where the hell they're supposed to go. Remembering his/her dream/indoctrination attempt, Shepard tells Anderson that they need to get to the Citadel Tower. Anderson replies in frustration. "Damn it Shepard don't you know how far off that is? How the hell are we supposed to get there?" Shepard can either choose paragon and say "I know you're pissed right now, but anger isn't going to help us here. Save it for the Reapers." or renegade "Anderson you're my superior officer. I look up to you and right now you need to pull your ass together so we can get through this" Anderson replies yea you're right and apologizes for losing composure. From this point he looks at his omni tool and comes up with a plan to get a shuttle to the tower. The shuttles are a little way off from their current position but if they can get there, they have their way into the tower. Upon agreement on the plan, Reaper forces show up and begin attacking Shepard and Anderson. After a heated gunfight, Shepard and Anderson hop a shuttle and begin to fly over. On the way, Anderson picks up on Harvesters trying to take them out. Shepard mans the turret and takes out the harvesters and the marauders and cannibals riding on their backs. Upon making it to the tower, Anderson and Shepard ditch the shuttle and fight off more reaper forces before having a moment to breathe. Anderson turns to Shepard and if Shepard chose control or synthesis, Anderson will ask "Shepard. You okay? You don't look well." Shepard can reply paragon "I feel like hell but I'll be ok" or renegade "I'm fine anderson. Nothing to be concerned about." If Shepard chose destroy, this question will not occur and Anderson will go straight to asking "So, where to now?" Shepard replies they need to go inside the base of the tower. He/she points out a shaft that should lead inside. *On the way through, Shepard and Anderson have to fight Banshees and Brutes but once the make it through the door at the end of the shaft, they end up in the room where Shepard's dream was after he/she "got to the beam" Bodies of humans are still scattered around except they actually look human. They continue on through and when they reach the room where everything is shifting and changing they see keepers walking around everywhere. At this moment,Anderson says "Well I guess we know where the keepers come from now." Shepard plainly replies "Yea" On their way up to the platform, Shepard has flashbacks of his dream where the confrontation with TIM took place. If Shepard chose Synthesis or Control, he will hold his head and Anderson will with concern ask again if Shepard is okay. Shepard will say "It's nothing. Just a headache." If Shepard chose destroy this does not occur. Upon reaching the final platform, Anderson and Shepard see TIM trying to activate the console in the Citadel Shepard pulls out his/her gun and says "Illusive Man, step away from the console." Anderson follows and says "Now." TIM turns around and replies "When will you ever learn Shepard? It's not that simple. The Reapers are the key to ensuring that humanity becomes the most powerful force in the galaxy. I won't let you stop me from taking what is rightfully ours!" Shepard can reply as a paragon by saying "Look at you. You think you're in control and that the Reapers will obey you. Husks are one thing Illusive Man, but there is no way you will control the Reapers." or Renegade "Are you out of your damn mind? You've clearly lost it. The reapers are going to take you and dispose of you when they no longer need you. You're already theirs." TIM will angrily reply that the reapers are not controlling him and that it is his destiny to seize control of the reapers and of the galaxy in order to ensure human dominance. Anderson will say that it is already too late for him. The reapers have convinced him that controlling them was a possibility and that through indoctrination, TIM bought into it. They appealed to him by considering his goal:protecting humanity. TIM yells at Anderson saying "You're wrong! You're both wron....ahhh *grabs his head....I will not give in...I will..Control(control is said in a TIM/Harbinger fused voice and TIM's eyes now glow yellow) Shepard immediately notices and says with disgust "Harbinger." Harbinger replies "Shepard. Even now, you understand nothing. We underestimated you, but we will not make that mistake again. The humans will give of themselves for a greater cause and you will die for the cause, to save all organic life." Anderson replies "What the hell are you talking about?" Harbinger says "This exchange is over. Prepare for battle." At this point, TIM's body begins to "power up" and as he screams in pain, his suit jacket rips as reaper tentacles burst out of his back. As this is happening, Anderson says "dear god, that used to be someone." Shepard replies, with slight sympathy "No time to think about it, we gotta take this thing out." *Throughout this fight, there will be a few cutscenes to both sword fleet and hammer ground forces fighting Harbinger. In the sword fleet cutscenes, depending on war assets, you will be treated to scenes with the following characters and corresponding fleets : **Admiral Mikhailovich(Alliance fleet) **Matriarch Lidanya or generic asari(Asari Fleet with dreadnought firing), **Admiral Han Gerrel, Admiral Zal Koris, Admiral Raan (quarian fleets) **Generic Turian (Turian Fleet) **Geth Prime Unit (Geth Fleet), **Generic Salarian(Salarian Fleet), **Balak/Generic batarian(Batarian Fleet) **Admiral Hackett (shows more alliance, hanar, volus, elcor, and terminus vessels firing. Youll see a volus order ships. an elcor say "With delight. Fire on the reapers." And of course, a hanar saying "This one wishes for the reapers to enkindle this. Fire" *In the hammer ground forces fighting Harbinger and co., depending on your decisions and war assets, you will see the following on the ground **Ash/Kaidan, Liara, Tali, Garrus, Miranda, Jacob, Mordin, Samara, Grunt, Kirrahe, Jack, Kasumi, Zaeed,Javik,EDI, James, Wrex/Wreav, Victus, Aria, Bailey, Shiala, the Rachni Queen, and a cameo by Randall Ezno if you have Cerberus Escapees Asset as well as your currently selected Multiplayer character if you have the N7 Special Ops Team Asset. **Alliance Marines **Turian Marines **Salarian STG Operatives **Asari Commandos **Quarian Marines **Geth Corp and Prime Units(some fighters in the cutscene will be subbed for geth fighters and shuttles for dropships) **Krogan( plus tomkahs) **Grissom Academy Students **Drell Assassins **Rachni Soldiers and Brood Warriors **Blue Suns, Blood Pack, and Eclipse. (Some gunships will have regular colors instead of alliance colors and mechs will be present) *Some dialogue with the characters listed above here and there where appropriate. *Once TIM/Harbinger is defeated, Harbinger says one last time "Releasing control of this form" Anderson walks up and looks at TIM's huskified corpse and says "Poor bastard." Shepard can reply paragon and say "He was indoctrinated Anderson, there's nothing we could have done. They already owned him" or renegade "Poor bastard? This guy made our lives a living hell how could you feel sorry for him?" To a paragon response, Anderson will say "Yea, maybe you're right. We've lost so many people in this damn war." To a renegade response, Anderson says "That may be true, but he was a human once Shepard. He was one of us back in the day. It's not entirely his fault." Afterwards, Anderson says come on, let's activate this thing and end this horrible nightmare." Shepard walks up to the console and successfully opens the arms and the Crucible docks. *At this point, Harbinger shows up one last time in holographic form and says "Shepard, you are interfering with something you do not fully comprehend. Do you not see that our presence is necessary? Without us, life is doomed to fail." At this point Shepard will yell "I'm sick of your games Harbinger, I have the Crucible right here and I can use it to destroy all of your reaper friends right now!" Harbinger will reply calmly "If you activate the Crucible, your civilization will have no hope. You will be wiped from the face of the universe. Your species will be forgotten instead of preserved. We are your salvation and your species' sacrifice will achieve our goal." *At this point, Shepard can ask 4 questions. **The first is "Why are we doomed if we set off the Crucible?" Harbinger will reply "The galaxy is threatened by a force known by your kind as dark energy. If you destroy us, you will not be able to stop it. We impose order and prevent the chaos of this threat from unfolding." To this, Anderson will say "This thing doesn't know what's best for us. Don't listen to it." Shepard responds by asking what the threat is exactly and Harbinger explains dark energy. **The second question is "Why should I listen to anything you have to say?" Harbinger replies "If you resist us, the threat will become too large to contain and it will consume all life. All species will cease to exist if we do not impose order on the chaos of this threat, If you destroy us and continue to exist, dark energy will not be kept in check, and all life as you know it will end." Shepard's third question is "Why humanity? What's so unique about us?" Harbinger responds by saying "We believe humanity has the potential to end the threat. Without humanity, the cycle must continue. With humanity, it may end.By opposing us, you are sealing your own doom." Anderson is still highly skeptical and says "I don't trust a word it says Shepard." **Shepard's fourth question is "How do we stop this threat?" Harbinger replies "If humanity is willing to sacrifice itself, the cycle will end and all future life will be saved from dark energy. If they do not, all life is guaranteed doom." *The final decision of the game has arrived. The decision originally intended by Drew Karpyshyn. **Activate the Crucible, resulting in the destruction of the Reapers. **Don't activate the Crucible and allow the Reapers to use the Catalyst/Citadel to harvest all of humanity in order to end the dark energy threat. **Depending on whether Shep chose Control, Synthesis, or Destroy, the ending plays out slightly different. ***If Shepard chose to activate the Crucible but chose Control in the dream, Shepard will hold his/her head as he/she loses control of themself. Shepard begins to talk, voicing beliefs that sound similar to the illusive man that if the reapers can be controlled, we can save the galaxy. The reapers have successfully indoctrinated Shepard and he/she now believes the bs that the reapers slowly planted into Shepard's brain. Anderson pulls his pistol and attempts to convince Shepard to back down but without success. As a result, Anderson pulls the trigger, killing Shepard, and activates the Crucible himself, destroying all the reapers by sending the blast throughout the galaxy. ***If Shepard chose to activate the Crucible but chose Synthesis in the dream, Shepard will hold his/her head as he/she loses control of themself. Shepard begins to talk, voicing beliefs that sound similar to Saren that if we work with the reapers, we can reach the pinnacle of evolution and co-exist, averting our destruction. Anderson tries to get Shepard to back down but without success and is forced to kill Shepard, activate the Crucible himself, and destroys the Reapers by sending the blast through the mass relays throughout the galaxy. ***If Shepard chose to activate the Crucible but chose Destroy in the dream, Shepard walks up to the terminal, basically tells Harbinger to F himself and activates it. Harbinger's last words are "You will regret your choice." The Crucible fires, destroying all Reapers throught the mass relay network. ***If Shepard chooses to let the humans get processed and chose Control in the dream, Shepard loses control and a fight scene between Anderson and Shepard ensues. Shepard wins and kills Anderson with an omni blade. Upon his death, Shepard tells Harbinger that he/she is ready to help stop the threat of dark energy in order to save future life. Harbinger remarks that his/her decision is most wise. Following that, the reapers are seen wiping out life all across the galaxy. It shows Thessia, Palaven, Tuchanka, Rannoch, Sword Fleet, and Hammer on Earth. After this, it shows Shepard committing suicide. ***If Shepard chooses to let the humans get processed and chose Synthesis in the dream, Shepard loses control and attempts to kill Anderson with a gun. Shepard goes on to say that he/she can not allow Anderson to stop evolution from occurring and that we have so much more potential. Anderson calls Shepard mad and says he will not allow this. As he charges at Shepard, Shepard fires off a few round slowing Anderson down, eventually causing his death. Upon this moment, Shepard allows the Reapers to destroy all advanced life to save the greater numbers to come. It then cuts to Thessia, Palaven, Tuchanka, Rannoch, Sword Fleet, and Hammer on Earth getting obliterated. Afterwards, Believing deep down that synthesis was the driving force behind Shepard's indoctrination, Shepard allows husks to impale him on a dragon's tooth, where he/she would be turned into a husk. ***If Shepard chooses to let the humans get processed and chose Destroy in the dream, Shepard will have the option to convince Anderson why it's necessary to sacrifice their civilization to end the impending doom to all future civilizations that dark energy would present. Regardless, Anderson will not listen and lift his gun to Shepard and via renegade interrupt, Shepard will shoot Anderson in the head. From there, Shepard goes and sits by the console and looks down on Earth. It then cuts to Thessia, Palaven, Tuchanka, Rannoch, Sword Fleet, and Hammer on Earth showing the reapers destroying everything. Afterwards, it cuts back to Shepard looking down on Earth with uncertainty as to whether or not he/she made the right decision. *Depending on EMS, the following may happen **Activate with low EMS-The reapers are defeated, but in the process of dispersing the crucible's blast, some of the mass relays blew up, destroying the related systems. Losses were heavy, Most of Hammer and Sword were decimated and all of Shepard's allies are dead. Dark energy is a BIG PROBLEM still **Activate with mid-level EMS-Losses were pretty bad, but a good amount of Hammer and Sword made it through, but out of Shepard's allies, only Shepard's ME3 squad and love interest lived. As a side effect, the Crucible reduced dark energy in the galaxy to a level manageable by galactic civilization. There is hope in ridding the universe of it. **Activate with high EMS-Losses were very few. Most of Hammer and Sword live to tell the tale and all the friends Shepard met along he way live another day. As a side effect, the Crucible miraculously eliminated all dark energy, giving the current and future civilizations the freedom to develop along whatever paths they desire. **If Shepard chose to harvest with low EMS-The harvest was a failure and the dark energy threat will now inevitably destroy all life and doom all future civilizations (mentioned in an epilogue that happens directly after the custscene) **If Shepard chose to harvest with mid-level EMS- The harvest was a success, but the human reaper was unable to end the dark energy threat, only contain it. As a result, the cycle must continue.(mentioned in epilogue that happens directly after the cutscene) **If Shepard chose to harvest with high-level EMS-The harvest was a success and the human reaper was able to end the dark energy threat. The cycle has ended. New civilizations will grow. The old civilizations are forever preserved and the galaxy is ready for a new beginning.(mentioned in epilogue that happens directly after cutscene) *Epilogue **If Shepard activated the Crucible and lived, he/she returns to Earth and will get to speak with his/her former squadmates, current squadmates, as well as Kirrahe, Aria, Joker, Wreav, Chakwas and/or Michel, Adams, Donnelly and Gabriella etc. He/she will also be able to have a conversation and moment with love interest. And finally, Shepard will talk to Admirals Anderson and Hackett and they will inform Shepard of things like if some relays got destroyed, unfortunate losses Shepard personally must endure like former squadmates and love interests, and the threat of dark energy and how it will be handled. **If Shepard died and Anderson activated the Crucible, a funeral is held for Shepard on Earth. Anderson gives a heartfelt speech about Shepard.All of Shepard's friends and allies that survived will be seen looking on as Anderson continues to speak. Shepard's love interest will be mourning while Liara is tending to them. If Liara is the love interest, James Vega is tending to her. Once the funeral is over, Anderson and Hackett talk about the state of the galaxy including if relays got destroyed and what the scale of the dark energy problem is. They'll say a few last words about Shepard to each other and then vow to rebuild, no matter how much work it takes. ***Once these scenes play out, the player will be informed of the situation between the krogan, salarians, and turians, the state of the geth and/or quarians, the current situation with the dark energy issue as well as the smaller role races and important individual characters Shepard met along the way. It will also inform the player what Shepard went on to do, either alone, or with love interest.(assuming he/she lived) If Shepard died, he/she will be acknowledged as a hero who fought to the very end to preserve an otherwise fragile galaxy. in a DA:O fashion Category:Blog posts